


When the Smoke Clears

by UniverseBestPotato



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canonical Character Death, Clone Wars, Emotional Hurt, Fives is mentioned, Hurt No Comfort, Minor Character Death, My gf does not approve, Pre-Season/Series 07, no beta read ill die like fives, prepare for angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:28:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25192420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseBestPotato/pseuds/UniverseBestPotato
Summary: Smoke surrounds the area where his brothers once stoodNow?All of them kriffin’ dead.Rex wakes up alone, only to hear a gasping breath......Prepare for angst.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	When the Smoke Clears

This is based of the fabulous artwork from omegafanart which can be seen [here](https://omegafanart.tumblr.com/post/152063746997/inktober-no-18-have-some-pain-rex-and-a-dead). Enjoy!

Rex opens his eyes to red on what was once pure white. It’s charred and smudged by the unforgiving environment. He feels heavy, if it’s from his usual armour, some debris, or another brother’s empty face to engrave into his conscience; he doesn’t know. The captain tries to remember what happened… he was with all the shinies in the back of the 501st chatting with a small group of fanboys who, apparently, heard the ‘exciting’ tales of working with Skywalker… then there was a whistle, somehow undetected by the scanners; there was heat, weightlessness, then darkness. With shaking arms, Rex lifts himself up of the ground, his legs moving like they have been in frozen in carbonite all over again, trying to keep him upright. Once up, Rex closes his eyes and relies on his other senses.

His body aches, but not out of operation yet. He feels no movement from his back, no crumble or thump, and the ringing is quieting, so he takes this blessing.

He opens his eyes.

“Ahh, kriff.”

Smoke surrounds the area where his brothers once stood, where AT-RTs once were, there is now only scrap metal in flames, and his men, dead.

All of them kriffin’ dead.

Rex glances down at the di’kut who decides to use their KRIFFING BODY to protect him. Rex staggers down on one knee to close the soldier’s eyes, the soldier who is the sole reason for him not joining his brothers and stays there as still as the rest of the troopers.

Wait…

Rex shoots up and darts his head around, he _heard_ it. A breath, but from where? Rex stares across the debris to find someone, _anyone_ moving, hoping that maybe he can take at least one newbie home to his crumbling family as he walks past each body, staring at each brother’s face so he can never forget them in his nightmares. Between the grassy ground and quiet mounds, Rex spots movement, a moving chest, Rex moves faster to his possibly alive brother. He sees a face, mischievous eyes open and a smirking grin ( ~~just like Fives),~~ Rex shakes his head as he finally reaches the figure.

And pales.

“What’s up, old man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost” CT-6820, Cheeks, laughs airlessly on the floor, his face is white except for the red trickling from his forehead and the **gaping would in his left side how the KRIFF is he still smiling?**

“Hey, Cheeky,” Rex gets his act as together as he can and takes his helmet off as he helps prop Cheeks to lean onto him, one arm hugging his front while the other combs through his matted hair, “You hanging in there until the rest of the 501st show up?”

Cheeks’ smile widens a little, “Yea, boss. Just need to tough it out.” Cheeks moves his arm onto Rex’s bicep and squeezes in reassurance.

Rex smiles at the shiny in his arms, he can see the look in the ad’ika’s eyes. He’s seen it in every good man he’s known pass, how Five’s described it in Tup’s and before ... He’s just like Fives, trying to remain strong before he -

Rex pushes those thoughts back. He needs to be strong for the scared, dying kid in front of him. Not swallowed in his own damn thoughts.

“Hey, ori'vod?” Cheeks’ grip is weakening, he’s letting his emotions come through.

“Yes, Vod’ika?” Rex gives Cheeks a small, encouraging smile.

“If I go, does that mean the nightmares will end?” Cheeks is fighting to keep his glazed eyes open, his grip almost non-existent.

The nightmares, the ones every clone knows about, and no-one should have to experience.

Rex pauses from combing Cheeks’ hair for a moment to gently close his eyes, to give him permission, as Rex presses a kiss to his temple.

“Shh, vod’ika. You may rest your eyes, the nightmares will be over, now nuhoy, vod, sleep.” Rex’s voice is barely audible to anyone but the Vod in his arms as he feels the simmering light in the figure he’s holding fade.

“Ret'urcye mhi ori’vod” Is whispered into the wind as Cheeks’ arm and chest fell, until it’s as motionless as all the others.

Rex sits there, staring at the once clean armour which is now stained and scuffed and bloody.

Just like all the other clones.

Just like Echo.

Just like Hardcase.

Just like Waxer.

_Just like Tup._

**_Just Like Fives._ **

Unlike them, there’s no special touches, no handprint, no markings, no tattoos; A clean copy who didn’t survive one day out of Kamino to personalise it.

Rex likes to believe that he is strong, that he can soldier on until the confinements of his quarters, with Jesse and Kix by his side where he can let the tears flow without judgement. But not today, as he places his hand, the one that was combing through the matted hair, over his brothers’ eyes and lets them fall, his shoulders shaking from exhaustion and pain as he fails to muffle the sounds of too much grief. The only sounds to fill a dark place.

Hours later, after the long-forgotten fight, Anakin, Jesse and Kix find him passed out still holding onto the young trooper who reminded him of his closest friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Translation Time!!  
> Ad'ika - little one  
> Ori'vod - Big brother  
> Vod(ika) - (small)brother  
> Nuhoy - Sleep  
> Ret'urcye mhi ori’vod - goodbye/ till we meet again, big brother
> 
> Hope you suffered, i guess.  
> Star Wars belongs to the Disney Overlords  
> Enjoy reading shit on AO3!


End file.
